GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

TRUE OR FALSE?

Strong or persistent smells coming from a neighbouring property can be considered private nuisance if they unreasonably interfere with your enjoyment of your land.
(Scroll to the bottom for the answer!)

In today’s edition of The Brief

• Federal Budget lands amid peak housing uncertainty

• Tax reform sparks rental supply warning

• How to turn one property sale into 13 pieces of content

Today’s read time: 6 minutes, 05 seconds

New to The Brief? Join us for free 🤝

FEDERAL BUDGET

Federal Budget drops into peak uncertainty

The Federal Budget lands tonight amid what Domain’s Dr Nicola Powell describes as “peak uncertainty” in the housing market, with buyers and sellers holding back as they await potential changes to investment tax settings.

Proposed reforms reportedly include replacing the 50% capital gains tax discount with inflation indexation, limiting negative gearing to newly built housing, and restricting how investment losses can be offset against income, alongside possible transitional arrangements aimed at directing investment toward new housing supply.

"It's very clear that the budget is going to have some changes that are going to directly impact investors. So I do think that there'll be an element of pausing."

After three consecutive rate hikes, rising fuel costs linked to Middle East tensions, and renewed inflation pressures, investors are already on edge. Now, with the Federal Budget expected to reshape property investment rules, uncertainty across the market is only increasing.

"I don't think anybody, if you'd spoke to them in January, would predict where we are today."

The full analysis breaks down the cumulative impact on borrowing capacity and what it means for your market conversations.

What you'll learn in the full article:

• The clearance rate signal: Why 55.7% is the number every agent should understand – and what it reveals about buyer appetite

• Sydney's 15-year supply high: How record-high new listings are shifting the balance of power between buyers and sellers

• The two-speed market: Why Sydney and Melbourne are "on the brink of a downturn" while Adelaide just overtook Melbourne in median house price

• April 2026 data snapshot: The key numbers from Domain Research you need for vendor conversations

What the market does with it will define the second half of 2026.

Read the full article

ICYMI yesterday, Holly Ransom explained why curiosity is the new real estate currency.

TOGETHER WITH @REALTY

Why agents are increasingly launching their own boutique brands

A growing number of real estate agents are leaving the traditional franchise networks in favour of launching independent boutique brands, as shifting consumer expectations and rising corporate consolidation reshape the industry in 2026. Industry figures cited in the report show 53% of agents at mega-brokerages are considering leaving due to reduced leadership access and consolidation, while 88% of buyers and 91% of sellers still value human expertise over digital platforms. Platforms like @realty’s OASIS are accelerating the trend by offering agents a lower-cost pathway into business ownership, including branding, websites, marketing support and back-office services.

Read more about @realty here.

FEDERAL BUDGET: OPINION

Rental supply at risk from proposed tax changes

Ray White and LJ Hooker have both flagged concerns that proposed Budget changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax could further squeeze Australia's already tight rental market. The reforms may restrict negative gearing to new builds and replace the 50% CGT discount with an inflation-indexation model. With 22,640 rental homes sold by landlords in the past three months, investor sentiment may already be shifting.

POLICY

Victoria fast-tracks two build-to-rent towers worth $330m

Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny has approved a 38-storey Docklands tower and an 11-storey Fitzroy complex, adding nearly 800 rental homes to Melbourne's supply. Both projects carry affordable housing obligations – though housing groups are pushing for more transparency on where that money ends up. Worth noting if clients ask about rental supply: Sydney's build-to-rent approvals through 2031 are now 72% higher than Melbourne's.

AI

Two AI prompts turn one sale into 13 posts

Elite Agent’s Samantha McLean has published the exact prompts behind her Ailsa AI tool. Paste in your article link, fill in four fields, and get back content for LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, a letterbox flyer, a listing presentation slide, and an email banner - all in one go. If you've been spending hours repurposing sales stories into social content, this could save you the afternoon.

Book Samantha for your team or event → samanthamclean.com

HOW IT SOLD

Seven offers and $125k over in nine days

Full staging, upfront building and pest inspections, and a fixed cutoff date created urgency and buyer confidence before the public launch. Lee Knutsen's deadline sale campaign for a Meadowbrook house delivered $1.1 million, attracting seven competing offers and finishing $125k above what the vendors expected.

Stories like this build your online reputation long after the sold sticker comes down. Want yours told? getailsa.com

CELEBRITY HOMES

J.Lo goes solo on $78M Beverly Hills sale

Ben Affleck has handed his share of the Beverly Hills mansion to Jennifer Lopez, making her solely responsible for the sale. The 38,000-square-foot estate is now listed at AUD$78 million – the third price cut since June. For anyone interested, there are 24 bathrooms!

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Brad Best launches McGrath Macedon Ranges

The fifth-generation local is bringing premium service to the lifestyle corridor northwest of Melbourne, marking McGrath's 24th Victorian office. More here.

Success doesn’t rest on weekends! 
Get the latest on top agent and agency moves every Sunday with our weekly roundup in Movers & Shakers. Subscribe now.

AGENTS ON SOCIAL

Hey I just met you, and this is crazy, but here’s my number … so call me maybe? 🎶 📞

Seen an Agent On Social we should include? Let us know here (email link)

TRUE OR FALSE:

Strong or persistent smells coming from a neighbouring property can be considered a private nuisance if they unreasonably interfere with your enjoyment of your land.

And the answer is …

TRUE. If it’s bad enough to make you close the windows, rethink dinner, or avoid the backyard, it can cross into private nuisance territory. In Australia, under nuisance and negligence principles, smells don’t need to be visible or physical to count, they just need to unreasonably interfere with your enjoyment of your property.

Wishing you a productive day!

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